Public Health (MPH) [Web-based Learning]

The MPH was the first web-based public health Masters programme in the UK. The programme aims to provide students with the skills needed to develop a critical evidence-based approach to the promotion of public health and primary care.

The programme is suitable for any public health or primary care professional wanting to develop public health or research skills, CPD, top-up training for voluntary registration, public health trainees and the MFPH examination, and fourth-year intercalating medical students.

A number of pathways can be followed through this course leading to different awards, as follows:

• Master of Public Health (MPH): the evidence-based approach

  Streams:

  • MPH (Public Health)
  • MPH (Primary Care)
  • MPH (Health Promotion)
  • MPH (Global Health)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health
• Postgraduate Certificate in Public Health
• Individual course units

A two-day residential is held at the University at the beginning of the academic year which students are recommended to attend, although it is not compulsory as the same induction material is available online.

Flexible training packages include a Masters; a postgraduate diploma; a postgraduate certificate and individual courses as part of the Public Health Professional Development (PHPD) programme.

By the end of the course, students should be able to:

• Assess evidence that underlies health practice
• Develop a population focus to health issues
• Develop skills to contribute to public health policy-making
• Develop skills necessary to research and answer population health questions

Why study at The University of Manchester?

The MPH, which commenced in 2002, is one of The University of Manchester's first e-learning courses to be offered totally online. There are currently 250 students from 24 countries on the course. Students have unparalleled access to a huge range of resources, which are being developed for online use, and one of the best university libraries in the UK.

These programmes are hosted by the Institute of Population Health and the School of Medicine.

• Primary Care
• Mental Health and Neurodegeneration 
• Health Methodology

As one of the highest-ranking universities in the UK that aspires to be one of the top research-led universities in the world, Manchester has a wide community of researchers and learners. Projects undertaken by students are likely to be supervised by researchers from either research division who also create the course material with the teachers of the course.

Course units can be taken as part of a programme or individually as stand-alone courses. All course units except the dissertation are worth 15 credits.

• Masters requires 180 credits
• Postgraduate Diploma requires 120 credits
• Postgraduate Certificate requires 60 credits

For further details, see: Programme structures

Dissertation

The dissertation is worth 60 credits and can take one of six options:

1. Research grant proposal
2. Quantitative research report using existing data
3. A complete or adapted systematic review
4. A public health report / health needs assessment
5. Outbreak investigation
6. A qualitative or theoretical study

Part-time students are advised to take at least two core course units in the first year of the course, or the first semester for full-time students.

For full course unit details see: Course units (PDF, 400 KB)